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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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BOSTON STRONG - July 8, 2013 ... Veteran left fielder Raul Ibanez continued his torrid first half with his 22nd home run of the season and Felix Hernandez took advantage of the Mariners' second-highest offensive production of the season as Seattle rolled to an 11-4 win over the Red Sox on Monday night at Safeco Field. Ibanez went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs as he extended his hitting streak to 13 games, during which he's cranked out eight home runs and helped ignite a Mariners team that has won five of its last seven games in improving to 40-49. For the Red Sox, lefty Jon Lester cruised through the first three innings on Monday night before the bottom fell out in the next two frames. Lester lasted just five innings and the Red Sox bats were relatively quiet against Mariners ace Felix Hernandez. Lester was 3-1 with a 2.41 ERA against the Mariners entering this one. He also had held Seattle to a .229 average, fifth lowest among left-handers who have pitched at least 35 innings against the Mariners. But the lefty gave up five runs on nine hits in just five innings, reverting back to his June struggles after going 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA in his previous two starts. Prior to those outings, Lester had a string of seven starts where he was 1-4 with a 7.30 ERA. The Red Sox (54-37), who own the American League's best record, dropped their third straight game as they fell to 1-3 on the road trip. With injuries mounting in the outfield and bullpen, the recent homestand in which Boston went 8-1 is squarely in the rearview mirror. In a duel between aces, both Lester and Hernandez ran into trouble in the middle innings after breezing through the early frames. Seattle broke through in the fourth, when Kendrys Morales and Kyle Seager led off with singles to put runners on the corners with none out. Justin Smoak brought Morales home with a double, and the Mariners had two in scoring position with one out. Mike Zunino and Michael Saunders, the bottom two batters in the order, drew walks to bring in another run. Lester escaped the inning when he got Brad Miller and Nick Franklin on fly balls to end the threat. Still, the lefty needed 39 pitches to get through the inning, ensuring ample work for Boston's depleted bullpen. The Sox potent lineup wasted no time in responding. Jose Iglesias was plunked leading off the fifth and moved to third on Brock Holt's single. Daniel Nava's single scored Iglesias to make it 2-1. Holt scored on a wild pitch by Hernandez during Jonny Gomes' strikeout to tie it. Raul Ibanez gave Seattle the lead for good in the fifth, hitting a solo home run to right field on an 0-2 pitch from Lester. It was the 41-year old's 22nd home run of the season. Lester started the sixth inning with 105 pitches, but gave up singles to Smoak and Zunino before being relieved by Alex Wilson. Saunders brought both runners home with a double, receiving an assist from a throwing error by Nava. Ibanez plated Saunders with a single, putting Boston in a 6-2 hole. Mike Napoli scratched across a run for the Red Sox in the eighth off reliever Oliver Perez, hitting a double to drive in pinch-runner Brandon Snyder. Saltalamacchia brought Napoli around with a double to make it 10-4. Outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury wasn't in the Red Sox lineup on Monday night, as he received treatment for a wrist injury sustained late in Sunday's loss to the Angels. |
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